A B757 flight crew making a night visual approach to runway 25L descends 2700 ft below the altitude crossing restr depicted at larre intersection, 15 mi east of las, nv.

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Attributes
ACN	598434
Time
Date	200311
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3800 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors arrival star : lynsy
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	598434
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : msaw other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Visual approach off lynsy 2 arrival at 15 NM from las vegas airport. First officer visual approach to runway 25L, set FAF altitude 3800 ft MSL and intercepted localizer on a visual. Captain monitoring was distraction while looking into flight kit. First officer descended to 3800 ft 15 NM out below MSA of 4500 ft. Tower commented on our low altitude. The moon was out and visibility was unlimited. An uneventful landing was executed. When WX is beautiful, it is easy to become distraction and make bad assumptions. I saw him set 3800 ft MSL, but 'assumed' he would make a gradual descent.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 FLT CREW MAKING A NIGHT VISUAL APCH TO RWY 25L DSNDS 2700 FT BELOW THE ALT XING RESTR DEPICTED AT LARRE INTXN, 15 MI E OF LAS, NV.

Narrative: VISUAL APCH OFF LYNSY 2 ARR AT 15 NM FROM LAS VEGAS ARPT. FO VISUAL APCH TO RWY 25L, SET FAF ALT 3800 FT MSL AND INTERCEPTED LOC ON A VISUAL. CAPT MONITORING WAS DISTR WHILE LOOKING INTO FLT KIT. FO DSNDED TO 3800 FT 15 NM OUT BELOW MSA OF 4500 FT. TWR COMMENTED ON OUR LOW ALT. THE MOON WAS OUT AND VISIBILITY WAS UNLIMITED. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS EXECUTED. WHEN WX IS BEAUTIFUL, IT IS EASY TO BECOME DISTR AND MAKE BAD ASSUMPTIONS. I SAW HIM SET 3800 FT MSL, BUT 'ASSUMED' HE WOULD MAKE A GRADUAL DSCNT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.